


The Sun, the Moon and the Stars ran away

by orphan_account



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Friendship, Friendship/Love, Running Away, Teenagers, the end of the fucking world - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:27:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24121333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: I was overwhelmed with my own life. I felt trapped in an endless loop. Like a bird in a golden and very comfortable cage.I had no choice, mom. I know I'm hurting you and I'm so sorry but if I don't do this I don't think I'll survive it.Jack, Elsa and Rapunzel have but one thing in common: they have perfect and monotonous lives they fantasize about escaping.Until they actually do.
Relationships: Elsa & Rapunzel (Disney), Elsa (Disney) & Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood), Elsa (Disney)/Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood), Elsa Rapunzel Jack, Elsa/Rapunzel (Disney), Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood) & Rapunzel (Disney), Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood)/Rapunzel (Disney)
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> You know the end of the fucking world? From Netflix? Well, that. But in a Elsa/Jack/Rapunzel FRIENDSHIP.  
> Now, in case I continue this, there will be romance but I'm not sure how yet so I can't promise you a Jackunzel or a Jelsa or even an Eugenzel, but be aware that I'm a STRONG Elsunzel shipper so who know?
> 
> Also, I'd like to request something from you: please DO NOT COMMENT. I know it's weird, like, every author begs for comments, right? I love comments too, but if a person comment I know I won't actualize until I have like ten comments so PLEASE DO NOT if you want me to go on. It's not some weird inverse psychology for y'all to comment. Like, actually, really, please please please do not leave comments.

**MOON**

Haven’t you ever fantasied about running away? Not in a Disney princess dramatic kind of thing, but more in an alien abduction way: one day you were there, the next one you’re gone: no tragic letter, no list of culprits, not even a particular reason —one day you simply decide to leave.

That’s what I did. That’s what my friends did. I’ve never believed in any kind of god, but if you ask me, I’d say it was a mayor force who gathered us together.

**STARS**

When you say you're running away, people tend to assume that you have a terrible past: you may be a criminal and running away from the police or you may be a poor little thing escaping an abusive home. 

They never think that maybe you were just tired of your life. Maybe you felt deep inside of you that should be in another place.

I don't believe that any mayor force has any power over human will, but I think my friends and I were called to be here, to meet each other.

**SUN**

I've always known there was something else in life apart from studying and working. I've always known I was destined to glory, to be part of something bigger than an average life. If you want to fullfil your destiny, you have to take some risks and sometimes that is leaving everything behind.

You take some money, your phone and some underwear and leave. And your earphones.


	2. Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack's point of view

**MOON**

I can't say it was an evening like any other else. I had just come back from ice skating with my little sister and I felt something weird deep inside of me.

I was sitting on the couch staring at the TV rather than actually watching it.

"Jack Overland!"

I whomp and looked back at my mother. She was clearly angry, her fists laying in her waist. 

I guessed she had been talking to me for a while by the moment.

I felt like I had missed something. Like i had suddenly began my existence in the emptiness.

"Jack, for goodness sake!"

I blinked, trying to get myself together enough to answer. But it felt like I was in a movie or a dream, like everything around wasn't actually happening. 

Like I was missing something. Like I had just popped up in the living room, in the middle of a conversation.

Everything because of that stupid  _ wind _ .

I watched my mom coming closer, I could see she was mad but I couldn't do anything.

She grabbed my shoulders and shook me like a maraca.

"JACK!"

I blinked again. She seemed a little worried now.

"Aren't you listening to me? Are you high?"

_ Then _ , I felt like someone punched my stomach hard. Suddenly I was back into reality  _ and _ I was angry as fuck.

I jumped away from her and the couch frowning.

"Yes mom, I'm high. That's the only thing I do, right? I'm also drunk in case you hadn't noticed".

My mom looked hurt. And I felt hurt too, guilty for being an ass with her when I knew the only thing she wanted was the best for me, even if her idea of "the best" sucked. She was scared I would do it  _ again _ , and maybe I was the one to blame.

I just didn't want to be defined by my mistakes.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" she asked softly. Her brown sight, identical to mine, was hurt and scared.

I took a step away, like her love could hurt me worse than her fury. And it was just like it.

"What do you want, mom?"

She sighed.

"I was asking you were did you leave the skates. Your sister can't find hers"

I tried to remember. I was in the lake playing with my little sister, then I felt the wind in my neck and kind of spaced out for the rest of the afternoon until…

"Oh, shit!"

"Jack!"

"Sorry. I left them in the lake"

"What?"

"When we took them off and walked around, I forgot about them. I'm sorry, I'll be right back."

My mom glared at me as I had just told her that was going to go at Pitch's to get crystal meth or LSD.

"Jack…"

"I'm not an idiotic teenager getting high and drunk before breakfast, mom. I never were and I really wish you could see that"

She almost ran to me and stopped a few steps away.

"I don't want you dead, sweetie," she said, soft and sweet.

"I don't know how many times I've told you that I never overdosed. I can control myself, mom, even if you don't believe it."

She stepped aside and let me go.

"Be careful and hurry up, your sister insists on waiting for you for dinner."

_ Your sister, not me. I don't care if you come back.  _ But she did care, I knew she was like a teenager who wanted to make her boyfriend believe she didn't give a fuck about him so he didn't try to hurt her.

But I knew she cared and she knew I loved her.

"Love you, mom."

I left my house and instantly felt the coldness around me, but I wouldn't get back inside for a proper coat.

My black hoodie got quickly covered in the frost falling from the sky.

I shivered and buffed.

"Fuck," I mumbled as I mounted my teal and black bike. I seriously thought I might froze to dead before I even reached the lake.

I biked through the woods fast before I did, thinking about my mom and my sister.

I shook my head when I saw the silverish gleaming moonligh reflected in the frozen lake.

I got off the bike and walked around looking for the skates we left.

I was freezing but I didn't exactly wanted to come back already. I liked being there, just me and the moon. And that motherfucker of the wind.

I didn't hate the wind. I loved feeling it flying through my auburn hair and my face, but recently everytime I got the wind in my face, I felt anxious, trapped. I hate feeling trapped.

I loved the moon. My mom and my friends used to say it was feminine thing but I never cared. I loved it, I thought the moon held millions of secrets, of forbidden moments. Under the moon, people went against many kinds of law to do what made them happy, even if it was wrong.

Oh, right, the skates. I didn't see them anywhere.

"Maybe from the risk…" I stared at the cliff and shook my head. If I came back without the skates, my mom would search my room and frisk me until she find any proof that I was doing drugs like, let's say, an empty bottle of juice suitable for inhaling drugs. 

I sighed and climbed up the risk. It wasn't higher than seven or nine feet, but I had to be careful with the snow.

I climbed and climbed until I got to the top and before I could even turn back to face the lake and searched for the damn skates, the wind stroke.

It flew straight to my face. It went fast right through me like I was a ghost. 

I opened my arms and let it take me. I wasn't freezing anymore, I felt free.

And I suddenly understood why I felt trapped went the wind touched my skin —I didn't felt trapped, I felt so free and unchained that the rest of my life felt like a cage.

I loved my mom and my sister, but I couldn't take it. 

_ What if I leave? _

"You'll break their hearts, Overland…"

I didn't want to hurt them, but staying felt more than ever like killing myself, like giving up the call of my own spirit in order to make someone else happy, even if that someone was my mom and my sister.

I checked my pockets and saw my phone and my keys. If I was going to do this, I needed a bit more that what I was carrying.

I went back to my house, faster and faster, and didn't want to give myself the chance to change my own mind.

When I reached my house, I stared at the windows. I couldn't face my mom again, so I had to get inside through the bathroom's window.

"I'm serious, Jackson! He's doing drugs again!"

I didn't expect her to believe me, but calling my father? I was furious, why couldn't she understand that trying  _ one _ pill  _ one _ time does not make me an addict?

"Don't you care about your son? He's a drug addict! He needs help! No, don't tell me that again! We don't know what else… I'm not! I'm watching out for my son just as you should!"

I changed my mind and climbed up the tree next to our house until I got to my window. I opened it and got inside fast.

I knew my mom loved me and was trying to do what she thought was best for me, but she had to understand that what seemed the best for her, wasn't for me. If she could only listened to me, if I could be sincere with her… she often asked me to be honest and open with her but everytime I did I felt kicked in my ass. 

I sighed and as I took my phone charger and earphones I stopped one single second to think, was I actually going to do this? Was I going to leave my mom and my little sister? I stared at my other two hoodies, thrown carelessly inside my black bag. I was their man since my dad was always away in duty, he was a captain for the military, so that left  _ me _ to take care of them… was I going to quit just like that?

_ You have to _ . I wasn't the perfect son, but I wasn't the worst either and I didn't think I deserved to be called an addict and a drunk irresponsible bad example for my sister when it wasn't true. My mother would've known that if she could only listen to me.

With renewed conviction, I packed my two hoodies, a pair of jeans, my phone and all my savings, which, by the way, were kind of good because I didn't waste my money in drugs and alcohol.

"I'm sorry mom, I need a break," I whispered to the night before jumping off my window to the roof.


	3. Stars & Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa's point of view

**STARS**

A screech woke me up. I opened my eyes and immediately checked my clock merely out of habit. It was 3:37 AM. I tried to shake off the drowsiness of my sleep and listen to what was going on in the other room.

"You're an irresponsible little brat!"

My father.

"I had to get out of this house! For a couple of hours at least."

My younger sister Anna.

"Anna, dear, you could've told us," so my mom was there too. My whole family was having an argument and I was asleep?

"Why?!" yelled my sister. "Elsa doesn't have to tell you when she goes anywhere!"

"That's because I trust your sister! She's mature and smart! I know she won't be fooling around with commoners!"

Anna forced a laugh.

"Commoners? Since when did you became royalty, father? And I don't want to be a perfect robot princess like Elsa! I wanna live my life and be happy!"

"You are unworthy of carrying our name!"

"I don't give a fuck about this name!"

A loud slap filled our entire second floor. I closed my eyes tightly to stop my body from running straight to them and use some of my-black-belt-martial-arts in my own father.

_ Anna escaped again? _

I listened carefully. I wanted to help my sister, but I knew my father wouldn't like me to interfere and to be true the last thing I wanted was to bother him.

" Are you seeing that bartender again?"

"Kristoff is a good guy!"

"He's working-class! He isn't worthy of one of my daughters, even if it's you, disgrace of this family!"

"Agnarr!"

My mom loved us, but she just wouldn't lift a finger against my father, not even for us.

"He loves me for being myself! He doesn't care about your money! He doesn't give a shit about your fucking name! For him, I'm just Anna!"

"Even if neither of us like it, you are an Arendelle and you'll behave like one! You'll stop seeing that bartender even if I have to lock you up in this house. And you'll fix your relationship with the son the Souths."

"No! You can't force me to marry Hans. He is a narcissist and a self-centered ass and he only wants your money! I hate your money, father!"

"Will you hate my money when you're living with your boyfriend without two pennies to rub together?"

"No, I won't even think about it. Because I'll have love and happiness! Look at you! You're crazily rich but you hate your daughters and your wife and they hate you! You think I want this? I love Kristoff and I'll fight for him."

"Let's see if he fights for you when I offer to pay his University."

"He will! Because he loves me and, yes, he needs money, but he works hard and  _ I _ will work hard and we'll have the best life!"

"He could work the rest of his life and still won't ever give you what I've given you. What Hans South will give you!"

"He will work for it! And he'll get it because he's twice the man you and Hans make together!"

"AGNARR, DON'T!"

Before my mom could even finished her begging, the loudest blow reverberated through out house. Probably even the servants had woken up in the first floor.

I opened my door quickly and ran to my sister's room.

My family was there, it was quite a horrible view —Anna sobbed in my mom's chest in the floor and my father was standing in the middle of the room, imposing and frightening even in his silky black pajamas.

He saw me and walked straight to me. I froze in the door and waited for whatever he was going to do or say.

He only kissed my forehead.

"Go back to sleep, my perfect doll, nothing important happened here and you have to wake up early tomorrow."

"Was this necessary, Agnarr? How could you hit her?!"

He glared back at Anna and my mom. He looked still mad but I could tell he was hurt by the whole bunch of events too.

"It was," he aswered, stone cold. "This is for your own good, Anna. I once chose love and passion over stability and economy too and look where it got me."

My mom let her head hang down her neck like she was dead. I felt like a doll more than ever, who watches but does nothing except let others play her.

"Anna, I'm… so sorry…" I mumbled, unable to meet her in the eye.

"Why would you, Elsie?" she answered smiling weakly at me from our mom's breast. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Sometimes it still amazed me Anna's refusal to hate me. Any other sibling would've.

I kneeled in front of her and mom.

"Dad's wrong. You're smart and brave enough to fight for what you want. I wish I was more like you."

She smiled.

"I'll keep on fighting. Kristoff loves me and that's worth everything."

I smiled. I really wished I could be brave like her.

I went back to my room. Before I knew it, I was crying. And halfway to my room, I found my father in the hall.

"Don't listen to your sister. She isn't brave, she's a reckless fool.  _ You _ are  _ perfect _ ," he kissed my forehead again and left.

I went straight to my room before anything else could get in my way. And shut the door right after me.

Of course it hurt me that Anna was suffering, she was my little sister and my only friend. But I knew I was crying for myself.

I watched my room: hot pink, the perfect color for the perfect princess, all my walls were covered in diplomas, certificates and medals —every kind of sport, only the highest levels of maths and many other things. I hated sports and maths.

I'd always wanted to be an artist, I wanted to dye my brown hair platinum blonde, I hated pink and I wanted to paint my room sky blue and white. But I knew that would alarm my father, he would fear I was losing my path and I simply couldn't make him sad, I was his firstborn, his little princess. His perfect doll.

I wanted to scream. But I couldn't even do that, I didn't want to scare my dad or even Anna, thinking I was trying to steal the spotlight.

Then I saw my family's portrait. My mom, unhappy with my dad; my dad, unhappy with my mom and my younger sister; Anna, unhappy with her entire family.

And me? Was I happy with someone?

"Your problem is that you want please everyone, Elsa."

I turned around and saw Anna in my room smiling brightly. If it wasn't for her dark swallowed cheek, you could never tell she had just been brutally hit.

"You think so?"

She sat on my bed.

"I do. I think it might be time for you to please yourself."

"But dad…"

"Screw him. Dad should be happy his precious favorite and most beloved daughter is happy. And if he isn't, he's kind of a dick."

"Anna!"

"Just saying. Think about it. He won't stop my happiness and I really wish he doesn't stop yours either, but that's on you, Big Sis."

_ On me…? _

I was still staring at the door much more time after she left. I gazed at my window and saw the stars shinning up in the skys.

There were so little of them. Fuck light pollution.

I gasped and cover my mouth instantly. I couldn't believe I had just said —thought— the F word. I couldn't help laughing at my self.

I remembered that place I had been to with the scouts ten years ago, where the stars were clear and beautiful. I had always felt connected with the stars, I've always felt that just like they shone by themselves, they were so far away where no body could bother them and who could ever know how many things they had witnessed?

I sighed. It was funny to fantasize about freedom even if it hurt me how much I knew it would never ever happen.

I checked my phone: 4:10 AM. I had to wake up at 5:30 AM for my swimming practices so I didn't see no point in going back to sleep.

"One sweater, jeans, two blouses…" I murmured packing my stuff for the morning. I usually packed enough clothes in case my coach wanted me to come back like in an hour or two. I shoved my phone, my earphones and my charger inside too because my father was going to be there too and I didn't want to miss his calls or texts for running out of battery.

_ I should take a bath right now _

I went into the bathroom and opened the shower. I loved water but I hated swimming —I loved to feel the water taking me and I hated the pressure of time which simply didn't let me feel free and happy in the pool.

Why couldn't I be like Anna? Why couldn't I stand up to my father and tell him I hated my life?

I knew the answer: it hurt me to hurt them. My father had already been through a lot all his life and I had to make him happy. Sometimes, in my most dead and bitter moments, I had question myself if I wasn't using my dad as an excuse for my own lack of enough guts to stand up for what I wanted.

I saw the water quickly becoming hot and steaming. I watched the steam flying away through the small window.

It was there in the water and suddenly it was gone, I wasn't part of the the running water and it wasn't in the room. It was  _ gone _ .

It was then when I didn't stop to think what I was going to do. I shut the water and went back to my room, where my sport bag was.

I stared at it and took a few more things, like all my money, underwear and personal hygiene products.

I didn't stop to think what I was doing when I took my keys and opened my window. Neither when I let myself slipped over the roof after my bag and landed in the floor graceless.

It was just when I started the car and looked back at my house when I allowed myself to wish good luck to my sister and to wonder if my dad would miss more Elsa or the perfect robot daughter.

I laughed with the morning stars. How could he miss someone he didn't even know?


	4. Sun & Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel's point of view

**SUN**

A fluffy pillow hit my head with the strength of a bullet. I blinked twice and turned around to face my older sister.

"Bitch! Snap out of it already!" she cried, clearly mad at me. She had probably been calling me for a while now.

"I've told you I don't like it when you call me  _ bitch _ , Cass," I protested frowning and throwing back the pillow.

"You weren't responding," she shrugged.

I sighed and gazed back to the sun in the horizon.

"What did you want?"

"What's going on with you? You seem completely spaced out."

I lowered my sight.

"I was wondering if… I'll be eighteen tomorrow, maybe mom will let me out already…"

Cassandra shrugged again, pretending she didn't care, but I knew better: I knew she had always been kind of jealous of how our mom protected me. I couldn't figure out why would she, while I longed to be allowed to go out like her.

I knew it was unusual, like  _ criminally _ unusual, but my mother had forbidden me to go out without her or my older sister since I was five years old, and they didn't usually take me with them wherever they were. So I had spent the most of my life locked up inside my house. 

I knew my mother did it because she wanted to protect me, but sometimes I felt like I was drowning in the air.

"Cass?" I insisted "Do you think she will?"

She glanced at me and then at her phone, so I realized I was annoying her.

"Honestly, Rapunzel, I don't think so, but then again, you will be eighteen! Legally, she can't keep you here if don't want too 'cause that'll be kidnapping".

I said nothing. Cassandra was my older sister and sometimes we were best friends but some others she behaved like this and I wasn't sure where I was standing.

"Cass…?"

"What now, Raps?"

_ Do you hate me? _

"Nothing. It's just I think I'm going to go out tomorrow, on my own."

She looked up from her phone and smiled to me.

"Now _ , that's _ my sister."

"But I don't want to defy mom… she only wants to protect me"

Cass rolled her eyes.

"Back with same old Rapunzel. Just because she wants you safe, it doesn't give her the right to be sickly overprotective".

"Cassandra!"

How dared she say that about our mother?!

"Look, Raps," she said tossing her phone aside and coming to the couch to sit with me. "Your problem is that you're the kindest person alive…"

"Um, thank you?"

"...but if you really want to be happy, you have to stop prioritizing everyone else's needs. So get the hell out tomorrow and be pretty well aware that it  _ will _ scare the living shit out of mom…"

"Cass!"

"...but it will make  _ you _ happy."

I stared back at her hazel eyes and I wondered for a second if she was right to think such things about our mother.

"Don't tried to justify it, Rapunzel," she barked as if she had read my mind. "I personally never agreed to keep you here but, hey, I wasn't the one who was almost kidnapped when I was a toddler".

The jealousy was there again. For a second I wondered if that was why she never took me anywhere with her —out of vengeance…?

"Maybe I can try reasoning with her. I mean, she doesn't think the people who tried to take me away have been waiting thirteen years for me, does she?"

"Certainly not. But, Raps, it might not be them but there's still people out there who will try to hurt you".

Few times I felt wrath coming up my throat and  _ this _ was one of them.

"Why me?! Every woman is in danger and they make their lives out there!"

Cass smiled and I suddenly covered my mouth.

"I'm so  _ so _ sorry, Cass," I mumbled ashamed.

"It's okay. I like to know my fierce and spoiled little brat is somewhere inside that kind and thoughtful lady".

I frowned, not sure how to feel about her answer.

"I still don't see why I should be locked up in here. All girls…"

"You aren't like other girls, sis. You are…  _ valuable _ in the underworlds"

_ What _

Cass seemed kind of uncomfortable talking about the matter.

"I'm not half as pretty as you are," I said. Cass was a goddess in flesh: big bright eyes, smooth skin, red full lips, hourglass figure, tall… she was  _ amazing _ and as far as I knew no one had ever tried to kidnap her. "And you've never…"

"It isn't about beauty, it's your  _ innocence _ . You have no idea how much some men… some  _ people _ would pay for a girl with your… ingenuity."

I got it. Still…. I sighed again.

"Anyway, you should go upstairs if you aren't ready to talk to mom yet. It's almost night and she'll be here any minute now."

_ Almost night?! _

"Oh my gosh! Yeah, I will, and… uh, I think I'll sleep now."

I ran to my room and shut the door behind me. It was almost time.

I opened the window and undid my braided bun —I never undid it in front of my mother and my sister because they never liked I had my chocolate hair long. According to my mom, long hair was a contributing factor in 70% of rape cases and Cassandra, who claimed to know about this things, supported that statement.

Then I tried combing my hair, which was kind of a big deal since it was waist-long. I began letting it grow two years ago, when Eugene started seeing me.

Every night he used to bring me some present, most of the times candy, but once in a while he also got me jewels and dresses. I knew they were all stolen and I didn't exactly love that but neither could I throw them away. I chose my favorite dress —long and dark red velvet with golden figures— and very big round rose quartz stones in the rough for earrings —they were very heavy but he said they were good for lo so they were my favorites.

I applied a bit of makeup stolen from my mom and from Cass. Cass wasn't a big fan of makeup not perfume or cute clothes or any girly things —she was pretty much a tomboy since I could remember, she was always getting in trouble for picking fights since kindergarten and she had enlisted in the military local school at fifteen; at the time I was nine years old and so fascinated with her —or maybe with the idea of going out camping— that I wanted to follow her exact steps. She was quite good with the whole soldier thing and loved her job. My mother, on the other hand, was very proud of her beauty and wore every kind of things that helped her enhance that beauty, so unlike Cass she had plenty of stuff I could borrow without leaving an actual trail.

The only problem was that she and Cassandra looked so alike that it would've been easy to think I was adopted or something, since I looked nothing like them: they had raven black hair, hazel eyes and pale skin while I had chocolate brown hair, viridian eyes and tanned skin. In other words, none of their colors for makeup looked good on me. 

But if Eugene ever noticed that, he never told me. No one would think a guy would care about stuff like that but Eugene did, he was so proud of his very handsome and good-looking appearance that he usually liked to point out how others could enhance theirs, always remaining them they would never look as good as him. At least, that was what he said to me.

By now, you must be wondering how I met Eugene if I had never left my house. Well, Eugene was one of that kind of things that prove destiny and fate exist.

I met him when I was sixteen and he was twenty-three. I know what you're all thinking:  _ disgusting, she was a child and he was a sick pervert! _ . Well, he isn't, I was  _ sixteen _ , I could make my  _ own _ decisions and i think that whole thing of "consent age" was bullshit: I don't know if their entire generation usted to be mindless puppets before they turned eighteen but I knew mine wasn't. And you can be fooled at any age, you don't have to be a minor to, so I fully thought bullshit like  _ statutory rape _ was unbelievable: rape is when you force someone and just because you are sixteen it doesn't mean you weren't horny and  _ actually wanted _ to do it.

I used to think about all of that minutes before Eugene climbed up to my bedroom. I firmly believed it, but I knew if my mom —or Cass— ever found out about Eugene getting in my room every night, she wouldn't hesitate in accusing him with the police of statutory rape, even if I explained my entire reasoning to her, them or whoever, it wouldn't change a thing and he'd be in jail for a pretty good time.

While I hated to keep things from my mother and sister, I couldn't risk it. Not when the whole reason why we had met in the first place was to keep him out of jail.

_ That _ was my most precious memory.

_ Two years before _

It was my 16th birthday and, just like every birthday since thirteen, I hoped my mom would already let me out on my own.

But she didn't and I was stuck in my room crying to myself like the past three birthdays. At least I could feel some air while sitting in the window as I contemplated the sunset.

I loved the sun. I had always felt dragged to it, I liked to wake up early just so I could sit in the window and feel the sunlight in my skin. The Sun was so warm, so bright and it shone for everyone. It made me feel less lonely and even after Eugene came into my life, the Sun was my faithful and loveful companion.

But back to that night, I was still sitting on the roof out my window hours after sunset, I didn't know what time it was but I was sure Cass and my mom were already sleeping. They would've freaked out if they had seen me sitting "outside" so late at night.

I was singing to myself when I saw a guy —a very handsome guy— running from the other street. He suddenly stopped to catch his breath and looked around desperately. That's when he saw me in the roof.

"Hey, beautiful!" he shouted smiling, clearly desperate but still charming. "Would you like to give me a place to stay for a few minutes? I know I'd love to spend those with a lady like you…"

Wait, was he talking to me? I babbled something not even I understood and he looked more and more upset every next second.

"Please?" he called again.

I felt fear, remembering everything my mother had told me about bad people and, especially, bad men who would try to take advantage of me. And I felt stupid for being afraid when I yearned for freedom.

"Miss, I beg your help, please!"

I bit my lip and before I could regret it, I answered:

"Come up here! There's a stair in this side!"

He smiled in relief and came straight to the wall and climbed. Well, if he didn't need the stairs, he could have came before but he'd waited up until I told him he could. Then he couldn't be so bad, right?

When he reached me, I thought I'd have to say something but he passed by my side and got in the room.

"Beautiful, you should come inside too," he whispered offering me his hand. I did and just as I was putting my feet in the floor he pulled me against the wall and I felt panic: what was I thinking? How could I let a total stranger inside my house, my bedroom, in the middle of the night?

Then I heard sirens and suddenly I realize the man I had just snuck up in my room was escaping the police. 

Mom was right, I was a hopeless idiot.

"You…!" I said about to turn to the window and ask for help, but he covered my mouth.

"Please," he whispered, "give me the benefit of the doubt."

The police left quickly to the next street and just when we stopped hearing the sirens, he let go of me.

"Thank you so much, miss. You just saved five lives," he smiled, somehow even more charming without the desperation of before.

I didn't even know how to react.

"I… you…"

He looked at me curious.

"You know, I've never seen you here before. I didn't know Cassandra had such a pretty cousin".

"Do you know my… her?

He smiled, a bit surprised.

"Everybody in this neighborhood knows her. She's the head of the campaign to send me and my brothers to jail".

_ What now?! _

"Jail? Why would you...?"

He chuckled.

"Right, you ain't from around here. I can swear you are in presence of a decent man, beautiful."

I frowned. He had literally just avoided the police.

"Why'd Cass want you in jail?"

"She says we are criminals, thieves. Which is true to a certain point," he quickly added, probably because of the look of my face.

"What are you saying?"

"Hey, baby, we do what we have to to survive: sure she had told you about us! The guys in the old orphanage? The criminals of Dark Street? The minions of the Baron? For the record, we're minions of no one, it's just we have worked for the guy before".

I couldn't believe anything of what he was saying, mostly because I couldn't process the fact that there was a thief hiding in my room.

"No? She hadn't?"

"Thief," I said to myself, but he frowned thinking it was for him.

"Yeah, thieves. But you know what? I have a ten year old brother and two five year old sisters to fed and an funny idiot for a partner in crime so you can say I'm the head of a family. Easy to judge from a nice, warm and comfortable house. You're just like Cassandra. Any way, thank you for hiding me, I'd really appreciate it if you don't offer you testimony to the police when you tell Cass I was here and she pushes you to. But I know you will".

He was actually upset and under his cynical facade I could see he was in fact scared I would do that.

"I won't do that. I'm not Cass's cousin, I'm her little sister."

He stopped with one leg already on the roof and glared back at me.

" _ What  _ did you just say? Her sister? I've never seen you around"

"That's because I never… I don't usually go out."

He came back, curiosity gleaming un his brown eyes.

"Young sister, did you say? How old are you?"

"I turned sixteen today".

He went pale.

"Holy crap! I just spend twenty minutes in the room of minor… holy crap!"

I didn't know much about the world but I did know about law and statutory rape, mom and Cass talked about it a lot. And I already thought what I do now about statutory.

"How old are you?" I asked him, he should be around Cass's age.

"Twenty-three," he mumbled, his mind clearly far away.

Cass was twenty. This guywas very much older than me.

"You know," I said, slowly, "nobody has to know you were here. Nor my mother and especially not Cass."

He studied me for a bit before smiling.

"Alright. Then I owe you two."

I giggled.

"Now," he said hesitatingly, "if I may, how didn't I know Cass had a sister? Did you just move or something?"

I couldn't meet his eye, suddenly embarrassed.

"No, I've been here my entire life. I mean… my mom doesn't let me out much because she thinks it's dangerous for me."

I could tell for his face that he wasn't buying any of it but it was the truth.

"I know it's hard to believe but… when I was five, some guy tried to kidnap me. Sure you remember, Cass says it was quite a gossip for a good time and you must've been twelve."

He blinked surprised.

"Yeah, I heard… actually, I knew pretty well the guys who tried to kidnap Gothel's youngest daughter but… I thought she'd sent her away".

I smiled weakly.

"No, she rather kept me very close."

His face was priceless. 

"Oh my gosh, this is like a V.C. Andrew's book"

"What?"

"Nothing," he shook his head. "If you allow me, I'd like to visit you tomorrow, I have a few things you might like."

I smiled. I knew I shouldn't have said yes.

"But you'll have to do this again and this same time. Cass and my mom can't know I'm seeing someone".

He smiled.

"I'd be glad to be your Romeo and climb that wall every night. Can you give me you phone or I give you mine?"

Shit. I tried to ignore the embarrassment again.

"I don't have a phone. I know, my mom is a bit crazy".

He dismissed it quickly and lightly.

"Then I'll be here tomorrow some point in the night. Is that okay?"

I nodded exited as I had never been in my life.

"Yes!"

He turned around to go to the window, but he stopped a few steps ahead.

"I just realized I don't know your name".

_ Oh, right, dumbass me _

"It's Rapunzel."

He made a flourish before me and I couldn't help giggling.

"Eugene Fitzherbert at your service, my lady."

That's how it all started. He kept coming for many days and nobody knew, he swore not even his brothers and sisters did because they weren't exactly good at keeping secrets, and regardless of the fact that we were just friends, we knew nobody would ever believe us.

That particular night, however, I was finally eighteen, I was  _ legal _ and even if it didn't mean that we were going to tell everybody a guy seven years older than me was sneaking in my room, now the greatest danger was my mom and Cass going crazy. Never again jail.

I waited a little too exited. He was going to be there as soon as it got dark enough to climb or so he had said. The only street light near to my house was broken so it was going to be easy. Or so I hoped.

Later, a few hours later, I finally heard a knocking on my window.

"Oh my gosh," I mumbled and opened it quickly. There he was —his brown eyes shone in the darkness when he smiled and jumped inside.

"You're late!" I scolded smiling widely.

He laughed it off and shook his brown hair that manly way I literally dreamed of.

"Happy birthday, sunshine," he whispered handing me a purple box with a golden bow.

"You didn't have to, Eugene," I said, thanking the darkness for covering my blushing face.

"Of course I had to! It's your birthday, brunette."

"I mean, yeah, but you already bring me a present every night"

He laughed sitting on the pale pink floor.

"You can't call a bunch of candy a birthday present, Green Eyes."

I rolled my eyes. I hated his unassuming ways —it was charming when we met, but now I knew it was only because he loved it when other people named his qualities, like, his generosity.

"Well… what you think?"

I turned around to show him my red dress and my earrings.

He smiled widely, almost laughing.

"You look stunning, sunshine." He got up and took a step to my closet and picked two emerald green long earrings, "but try these".

I was disappointed for not being able to impress him, but I did what he said.

He smiled again.

"Now you look like a princess! That dress looks way better on you than it did on Stallyan".

I frowned.

"Please try to not remind me that everything you've given me was stolen from your ex-girlfriend."

He laughed.

"Not everything!"

I smiled too.

"So, won't you open it?" he asked sitting in the floor again.

I took the purple box and sat next to him.

"What is it?"

"Open it."

I did. There was a pink smartphone inside, new and everything.

"Oh my gosh! I love it! You didn't have to!"

He smiled as I hugged him as tight as I could.

"Did you buy it?"

He chuckled.

"Not exactly, but it's new. That's all that matters!"

I didn't really care this time, he knew how much I wanted a phone.

"Listen, brunette, I have to tell you something."

_ What? _ My spirit fell to the floor instantly. It was very unusual for him to look sad.

"What is it?"

"I'm giving you a phone because I have to leave this town as soon as possible"

What?! I couldn't even say anything.

"Your sister's most recent protest against us is working, I…"

"I don't know anything about it"

He sighed.

"Cassandra has been trying to convince the government we shouldn't be allowed to keep our little brother and little sisters. And it's working, the judges in the case want Lance and I to prove our incomes if we want to keep Varian, Kiera and Catalina with us."

I didn't know how to feel. I had never hated Cassandra like I did in that moment.

"I… don't know how to help you," I whisper miserably.

He smiled brightly again.

"We are running away tonight"

"Tonight? Don't leave me, please!"

At this point I was already crying. He caressed my hair and kissed my forehead.

"It's okay, sunshine, we'll keep in touch with your knew phone".

He embraced me and let me cry in his chest.

"I have to go, Rapunzel. I know you won't come with us but if you ever want me to come back to rescue you from your crazy mother and sister, all you have to do is ask"

I sobbed, I knew I wouldn't go with him right now. I didn't want to break my mother's heart.

"Why is Cassandra so mean?" I wonder aloud.

He laughed bitterly.

"I think she wants my little brother all for herself"

I looked for his eyes confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Hasn't she told you anything about adopting a kid recently?"

Oh, she had. She had been talking about moving to her own apartment and adopt a kid. She also said she wanted a ten year old because she wanted to skip the diapers and crying part.

"She wants to convince the judges that Varian would be better living with her than with us."

I couldn't believe it.

"I have to go, sunshine. I know I'll see you again."

I could only watch as he climbed down and left. I felt like I was going to die.

I gazed at him until he waved one last time before walking to the next street.

Then I sat on the floor and cried all night, until my mother and Cassandra opened my door the next morning and yelled "happy birthday!". And even then, the only thing I could do was look back at them.

I spent the day like a zombie. I assume my mom and Cass were scared I would ask mom to let me out because after a few hours they let me alone.

I don't even remember the rest of the day.

Until the night, 24 hours after Eugene left. I was in the garden watering the plants and flowers when it hit me: the ivy going away through the cracks of the wall. Escaping. I loved the garden, it was like my peace of real world.

Then I saw the ivy going out and I couldn't help it —I went back to my room, took a few things and jumped to the roof.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that the next chapters will be in general POV.


End file.
